Lever extension



A. MUNGENAST, LEVER EXTENSION. APPLICATION FILED n40.1919- memed 'July 8, 1919.,

Andrew I To all whom it may concern:

manw muuemusr, or sr. LOUIS, mssouar maven. EXTENSION.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed January 30, 1919. Serial No. 274,044.

Be it known that I, ANDRnw'MUNGnNAs'r,

V a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lever Extensions, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part hereof.

- My invention relates to an improved lever extension, and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed. v

The object of my invention is to provide an improved lever-extension that is especially capable of quick application to the hand-brake lever of the Ford automobile, well as to all other levers which are located in such a position that the operator is compelled to stoopforward (and thereby take his eyes off of the road ahead of the car) in order to grasp the lever in making an emergency stop; whereby the heretofore inaccessible hand-levers of this kind will be rendered accessible without stooping forward, and the safety of the driver or opera tor (as Well as of the passengers) will be made more secure. I

In the drawings,

Figure l is a top plan view of my present form of lever-extension attachment, ready to be applied to the Ford automobile handlever.

Fig. 2 is a side-elevation of same, as it.

appears when applied to the automobile hand-lever, and

Fig. 3 is a side-elevation of a modification, to be used as a permanent and integral extension of the hand-lever.

The numeral 1 designates the main body of the hand-lever which is to be extended into a convenient position, as shown in Fi 2.

The hand-lever'l, as heretofore and now manufactured. and used, is provided with the well known grip portion 2 at its free end, below which is pivoted at 3 the usual pawl-lifting lever 4, having the upper end of the common pawl-lifting rod 5 pivoted at 6 to it; whereby, when said pawl-lifting lever is forced toward said grip portion of the pawl (not shown) will be lifted out of engagement with the teeth of the holdingsector (not shown), and the lever 1 may be moved to apply or release the brakes.

The numeral 7 designates my base casting for the grip-clamp, which isdetachably secured upon thesaid grip portion 2 of the hand-lever 1 by means of a clamping-plate 8 that is curved to fit the curve of the said grip portion, and provided at its opposite edges with perforated flanges, the perforations of which register with like perfora tions formed in mating flanges on the edges of the said clamping-plate 8, and suitable belts or common screws 9 are passed through the registering perforations of both basecasting and clamping-plate, to securely but grip portion of the hand-lever.

detachablv hold the base-casting upon said At the upper end of said base-casting 7 is an integral bifurcated extension 10, and a substantially horizontal lever-extension 12. has one of its ends pivotally mounted in the fork or bifurcation of said 'base-casting upon a common bolt or rivet 11, whereby the op-' posite end of the said lever extension may be moved freely up and down a limited distance, determined by contact of the lever with the bottom wall of the said bifurcation, as indicated by the dotted lines shown in Fig. 2.

The free (or rear) end of said lever-extension 12 is provided with a suitable handle or hand-hold, which in the present case) is shown in the form of an integral downward and forward curved 'ortion 13, and which may be grasped by he operator in much the same way that he would grasp a com,- mon curved cane-handle or umbrella-handle; which he does in pulling the lever 1 back, or in pushing it forward. and in both cases this movement can be readily accom plished without stooping toward the lever, even though it be located a considerable distance in front of the operator, and so far down that (if my lever-extension were not attached) he would have to stoop forward in order to reach the grip portion 2 of the hand-lever.

In order to also reach the pawl-lifting lever 4, at the. same time, without stooping forward I prdvide opposite clamping-jaws .14 and 15 with opposite mating perforated side-flanges, secured in position upon the upper end of the said pawl-lifting lever by means of common bolts or screws 16, the rear jaw 15 having a rearwardly-extending integral arm 18 in which is an internally threaded socket.

Fixed in said threaded socket of said arm 18 is the forward end of a horizontal pawllifting lever-extension 17 the rear portion of which passes loosely through a bearing 19 formed in the upper portion of the said handle 13 of the said lever-extension 12, and projects conveniently to carry a suitable push-button 20.

A coiled spring 21 is mounted upon the said pawl-lifting lever-extension or rod 17 between said'button 20 and the said han-- (He 13, to normally hold said rod at the limit of its outward movement, as well as to assist the usual spring of the pawl-lifting lever.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the lever-extension 12 isshown as an integral part of the hand-lever 1, and the pawl-lifting lever 41 is pivoted conveniently near the handle 13 upon the said lever-extension, while the pawl-lifting rod 5 is also provided with an integral extension which is curved rearwardly to the point at which its rear-end is pivotally connected to the pawl-lifting lever 4, the button 20 and coiled-spring 21 being dispensed with, and the usual pawllifting lever fiat spring 23 being used to return the parts to their normal position.

A suitable guide or hearing 22 on the hand-lever holds the said pawl-lifting rod 5 in proper relation to the said lever during operation.

The operation of my invention will be clear without further description.

I claim An extension attachment for automobile hand-levers, comprising a clamping-device adapted to fit the end of a sand-lever, a rearwa-rdlyextending member pivoted at its front end to the said clampingrdevice, and having a handle at its free rear end, and a pawl-operating member having aclamp adapted to fit the pawl-latch lever of said hand-lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ANDREW MUN GENAST;

Witnesses:

FRANCES Hoover: ROSENBAUM. JOHN C. HIGDON. 

